Awe Of God John Bevere Quotes

God is the One who knows what’s right for me. God is pure love, and I am the focus of His love. God will never tell me to do anything that is detrimental. Whatever He says will always end up best. Therefore, no matter what He says, I gladly choose to obey.

A wise leader made an attention-grabbing statement that's stayed with me for decades. He declared, "I've made it a general principle to refrain from promoting anyone to a place of authority whose record is perfect." When asked why, he answered, "I learn more about a person's character by their response to failure than anything else. Did they own responsibility, repent, and grow from the experience? Or did they justify their behavior and delegate the blame? It shows if he or she is fit for responsibility." What I learned from that was: it indicates if wisdom is what he or she prizes above all else.

On October 2, 1982, Lisa Toscano and I entered a marriage covenant, and she became Lisa Bevere. On that very day she took the position of my wife. She’s not more my wife today than the day I married her, nor will she be more my wife forty years from now. Positionally, she fully became my wife on that wedding day; the work was complete. Similarly, in Christ we were made holy and clean on the day of our salvation, and we will never be more holy. However, once Lisa became my wife, her behavior began to align with her position. Before she was my wife, she dated other guys, gave them her phone number, lived for her own desires, and all the other things single women do, but now she didn’t do these things any longer. Her actions aligned with the covenant we made together. This behavior has grown more mature in aligning with our covenant the longer we’ve been married. Listen to what the apostle Peter writes: [Live] as children of obedience [to God]; do not conform yourselves to the evil desires [that governed you] in your former ignorance [when you did not know the requirements of the Gospel]. But as the One Who called you is holy, you yourselves also be holy in all your conduct and manner of living. For it is written, You shall be holy, for I am holy. (1 Peter 1:14–16 AMPC)

the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 1:7),

Holy fear empowers me to stay on the highway of true holiness.

True humility and fear of the LORD lead to riches, honor, and long life. (Proverbs 22:4)

Jesus is my Lord. I give Him ownership of all areas of my life. May it be done unto me according to His will.

Fear of the LORD leads to life, bringing security and protection from harm. (Proverbs 19:23)

As holy fear grows within us according to our increased comprehension of God’s glory, it purifies our motives, frees us from the fear of man, and produces true holiness in our lives. The manifestation of holy fear is immediate and complete obedience to God regardless of whether we see a reason or benefit or how painful it is. With this knowledge, we can now turn our discussion to this unique gift’s benefits, and in this section we’ll focus on what is undoubtably the greatest benefit of all: intimacy with God. The word intimate comes from two Latin words: intus, which means “within,” and intimus, which means “very secret.”1 In joining the two, we come up with “innermost secrets.” This gives a very good picture of intimacy, a word used to describe an affectionate connection between two close friends on levels far deeper than merely an acquaintance, which is someone you’ve met and know slightly but not well.

So don’t make judgments about anyone ahead of time—before the Lord returns. For he will bring our darkest secrets to light and will reveal our private motives. Then God will give to each one whatever praise is due. (1 Corinthians 4:5)

the more we lack the fear of the Lord, the more we will lean on our projected image.

First, our achievements will include how we influenced others’ lives, along with how we used our God-given talents to build His kingdom. Second, our eternal reward will determine our eternal position in His kingdom.

A spirit of pride and a spirit of religion go hand in hand, and they strengthen each other by hiding each other.” Pride keeps a person from admitting they’ve become religious, and religion covers up the pride by its spiritual behavior.

The Complete Word Study Dictionary defines reverence as “profound adoring awed respect.

godly fear, carries the meaning of awe. For awe’s definition I looked at the original 1828 edition of Noah Webster’s dictionary. Here’s what I found: “fear, dread inspired by something great and terrific; to strike with fear and reverence. To influence by fear, terror or respect.

Moses himself was so frightened at the sight that he said, ‘I am terrified and trembling’” (Hebrews 12:21).

Moses himself was so frightened at the sight that he said, ‘I am terrified and trembling’” (Hebrews 12:21). John the apostle, the one Jesus loved, writes of his encounter with our glorified Jesus, “When I saw him, I fell at his feet as if I were dead” (Revelation 1:17).

I learn more about a person’s character by their response to failure than anything else. Did they own responsibility, repent, and grow from the experience? Or did they justify their behavior and delegate the blame? It shows if he or she is fit for responsibility.” What I learned from that was: it indicates if wisdom is what he or she prizes above all else.

Point: The love of God protects us from the ditch of legalism. Conversely, the fear of the Lord protects us from the ditch of lawlessness. Holy fear empowers me to stay on the highway of true holiness.

When we repented and received Jesus Christ as our Lord, our sins were forgiven, and we were washed completely clean. God buried our sins in the sea of forgetfulness. He doesn’t remember them! This work is complete, perfect, and cannot be improved upon. We did nothing to merit this amazing reality; it was a gift from God. This is the work of justification.

We must remember, there’s a difference between going into the world to reach unbelievers and being influenced by an improper alignment with them.

Point: If we’re unaware of grace’s empowerment, we will continue to attempt to please God in our own ability. We will have received God’s grace in vain.

Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:12–13 NKJV). The fear of the Lord motivates us to will (gives us the desire), and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ enables us to do (empowers us).

Hopefully it’s become clear that purity is a huge aspect of holiness but not its full definition. Again, the primary definition of holiness is to be consecrated to Him, to be completely His.

Holiness is not a “should be” recommendation; rather it is a “must be” command.

This is what the glory of the LORD looked like to me. When I saw it, I fell face down on the ground” (Ezekiel 1:28).

Abram fell face down on the ground” (Genesis 17:3).

I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You. Therefore I abhor myself’” (Job 42:5–6 NKJV).

Whose image do you aspire to be conformed to—the celebrities of our day, or the One who created the universe? Choose wisely, and take heed to what you hear and give your attention to.

God knows if I am chasing after holy behavior or if I’m consistently excusing my love or tolerance for worldly desires and the pride of accomplishments. It all begins with my heart’s intentions. Will I chase after purity of heart and mind, resulting in a change of actions? Will I do so even if those who are close to me don’t?

I am chasing after holiness with the full intent to apprehend it. My goal is to be holy as God is holy.

by the fear of the LORD one departs from evil” (Proverbs 16:6 NKJV). The psalmist writes: Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who delights greatly in His commandments. (Psalm 112:1 NKJV)

I heard the Holy Spirit say, “Son, complaining is a serious sin in My eyes.” He showed me that complaining protests, “God, I don’t like what You are doing in my life, and if I were You I would do it differently.” He then said, “It is an affront to My character, it’s rebellion to My will, and overall, it’s a gross lack of holy fear.

We dishonor God and His Word when we think or speak from the posture of discontent.

Prayer: Dear heavenly Father, I ask Your forgiveness in approaching You with a casual and irreverent attitude. I’ve lost sight of who You are and have become too familiar with You. I repent and will no longer see You as a “buddy” but will revere you as the holy God that You are. Thank You for being so kind and merciful and for forgiving me of my irreverence. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

Our minds would struggle to comprehend the vast number of granules on just the Florida beaches. But think of it—if you add up all the granules of sand on the planet, you still wouldn’t have the number of thoughts God has about you!

Third, a message always brings the greatest benefit when I teach it or go through it with a group of friends. Choose some close friends and work through this together. After you complete the chapter on your own, with just you and the Holy Spirit, get together with your friends to share what He showed you. Do this on a regular basis.

Here’s a firm truth: you will never find God’s wonderful presence in an atmosphere where He’s not revered and held in awe.

First, if we don’t see Him—if we lack His manifest presence—we can’t know Him intimately. We can only know about Him, not unlike my relationship with United States presidents. Or worse, we deceive ourselves by creating a fictional Jesus. This illusion is most dangerous because we believe we know Someone we don’t. James tells us, “But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves” (James 1: 22). One who is fooled believes they know someone or something, but in reality, they don’t.

Thomas Aquinas was writing Summa Theologica,

She’s trustworthy, wise, diligent, energetic, hardworking, prosperous, wealthy, kind, assists those in need, and defends the helpless. Another outstanding trait that is sometimes overlooked and is pertinent to our discussion is, “She is clothed with strength and dignity” (Proverbs 31:25). In other words, she wears honor like a garment, no different from our clothing—it’s visible and noticeable to all in her presence. And what is her final virtue?

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Prayer: Dear Father, in the name of Jesus, I cry out for Your wisdom and understanding. Please open my ears and eyes to perceive it. I don’t want to be a fool by being wise in my own opinions. I will prize and depend on the wisdom of my Lord Jesus Christ above anything this world has to offer. I choose to obey even if I’m persecuted for my beliefs or obedience. Amen.

Dear heavenly Father, I ask that on this journey of discovering the fear of the Lord, I will come to know it, live by it, and delight in it. May it become my treasure, as it is Yours. May it give me the wisdom and knowledge needed to live a fulfilled and successful life, one that is pleasing in Your sight. Also, may those who are dear to me be enlightened, and may all who interact with me recognize its value. I ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior, amen.

don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves” (James 1:22).

The fear of the Lord provides angelic assistance, fulfilled desires, enduring success, nobility, influence, longevity, productive days, enjoyment in life, happiness, pleasure in labor, healing for our body, and so much more.

The apostle Paul writes, “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12 NKJV). Again, he instructs, “Beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (2 Corinthians 7:1 NKJV). The writer of Hebrews pens, “Let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear” (Hebrews 12:28 NKJV). The apostle Peter writes, “If you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear” (1 Peter 1:17 NKJV). The apostle Jude declares, “Save with fear” (Jude v. 23 NKJV). And Jesus urges us, “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28 NKJV).

fear God is to esteem, respect, honor, venerate, and adore Him

The remarkable thing about God is that when you fear God, you fear nothing else, whereas if you do not fear God, you fear everything else. —OSWALD CHAMBERS

Here’s the truth. We cannot do anything to make God love us more or less, but we are responsible for how pleased He is with us. This is why Paul says it’s his goal to be “well pleasing.” Why? For we [believers] must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men. (2 Corinthians 5:10–11 NKJV)

When we see Him face-to-face in all His awesome holiness and blazing glory, it will seem incredible to us that we ever had a casual thought in relation to Him. —JOY DAWSON

Holy Spirit, I ask that You give me the firm realization in my heart and mind of how much You love and value me, and may I love others the same.

I’ve been given a free pass. This mentality abandons the treasure of holy fear.

Fear God . . . and keep His commandments, for this is the whole of man [the full, original purpose of his creation, the object of God’s providence, the root of character, the foundation of all happiness, the adjustment to all inharmonious circumstances and conditions under the sun] and the whole [duty] for every man. (Ecclesiastes 12:13 AMPC)

mankind’s approval drive you, but be led by the Spirit, staying firm in truth both in what you teach and how you live.